Personal Narrative
A personal narrative is a style of writing that describes someone's experiences. Many teachers use personal narratives to encourage creative, free-flow writing. Personal narratives also can encourage students to further develop writing and reflection skills.
Some employers or universities may request candidates to submit a personal narrative to learn more about them beyond their work or educational experiences.
Some people consider personal narratives to be a form of storytelling, and it uses an active voice in the first person to tell a story.
How to write a personal narrative
1. Choose your topic
Before you start writing, you can choose a topic that will guide your writing. Because a personal narrative is based on your experiences, try to choose a topic you’re comfortable with and willing to discuss. It also can help to consider the purpose and audience of your narrative when choosing a topic. This may include a memory, a childhood story, an experience or a favourite trip.
2. Plan your writing
You can divide your paper into separate sections to help guide and organise your writing. Try to outline what details you want to include in the introduction, body and conclusion of the narrative. You can make a list of each detail and any accompanying information to include. The personal narrative usually follows the flow of a personal story, including your thoughts and considerations.
3. Create your introduction
Use the introduction to introduce your topic and get your reader's attention. This is also where you state your thesis statement. You can follow this with a transition sentence that leads the reader to the body of the paper. A personal narrative aims to elicit the same emotions you recall from your recollection of the story, so try to use creative adjectives and strong verbs.
4. Write the body of the paper
The body of the paper is where you include specific details of your narrative. What details you include depends on the topic and thesis of your paper. The body of the paper usually is three paragraphs, but it may be shorter or longer, depending on how much information you have. In a personal narrative, each paragraph often includes details like time and place, and it usually follows a chronological order. In a professional personal narrative, this section can explain your work history and highlight your best, most relevant skills.
5. Create your conclusion
The conclusion doesn’t introduce any new points but instead summarizes the topic of the paper. It also leaves the reader with a lasting impression of the work by restating your initial thesis and a couple of supporting points in a different way. A conclusion also often makes it clear why a reader may care about your paper by explaining its implications. For example, a personal narrative for a job application could restate why you’re the most qualified candidate while explaining how you can benefit the company if it hires you.
6. Edit and finalise your writing
The last step is to edit your writing. Review your narrative and try to ensure you use vivid language that describes your experience to the reader. Try to find and fix any spelling or grammar mistakes you have made to ensure your narrative doesn’t have any errors and it reads well. You also can read it for content, which can include verifying you don’t repeat any ideas or anecdotes. Once you proofread your writing, consider having a friend review your writing and give feedback.